Legislative Accomplishments

2009 – HB285,Abolish the Death Penalty was introduced by Representative Gail Chasey, and signed on March 18, 2009 by Governor Bill Richardson. The death penalty has been repealed in New Mexico!

2007 - HB190, Abolish Death Penalty, was sponsored by Rep. Gail (Beam) Chasey and passed the House floor with bi-partisan support on a 41 to 28 vote. In the Senate, an amended version of HB190 passed the Public Affairs Committee on a 5 to 2 vote. HB190 did not pass out of Senate Judiciary Committee.

Legislation to support victims of crime was introduced By Rep. Chasey. HB193-Employee Leave for Certain Crime Victims passed the House with a 66 to 0 vote. It also passed two Senate Committees unanimously, but did not receive a final Senate vote before the session ended. HB966-Families of Homicide Victim Support proposed college tuition assistance for children and spouses and expanded services for families who have lost a loved one to murder. It passed the House Judiciary Committee and was never acted on in the House Appropriations & Finance Committee.

2005 - HB 576, Abolish the Death Penalty, was proposed with 34 co-sponsors. The bill passed the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee on a 4 to 2 vote, the House Judiciary Committee on a 7 to 3 vote, and the House Floor on a vote of 38 to 31. In the Senate, HB 576 passed the Senate Rules Committee 4 to 2 but died in the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 4 to 5 vote.

As well as death penalty repeal legislation, Rep. Gail Beam sponsored additional legislation as past of the Victims Families First campaign. HB577-Murder Victims Children College Tuition, which passed the House Judiciary Committee but got stuck in House Appropriations & Finance and HB578-Employee Leave for Certain Crime Victims, which passed the House floor but was not voted on in the Senate.